Win tickets to see top poet’s light-hearted look at life with words and music

Liz Lochhead and Steve Kettley.

Published:10:56Friday 15 April 2016

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One of the country’s best known contemporary poet brings her unique blend of poems, monologues and stories to Peebles this month.

Liz Lochhead, who recently handed on the mantle of Scots Makar – Scotland’s national poet – after five years, will be at the Eastgate Theatre with a show that presents her words accompanied by the soulful sax of Steve Kettley.

Called ‘Somethings Old, Somethings New’, it has Liz tackling universal themes of best friends, lost love, and the passing of time in a performance that ranges from bittersweet through hilarious to the downright rude and raunchy.

“It’s all very light-hearted, with some of the show vaguely stand-up comedy in places,” explained Liz. “Although very personal to me, with plenty of nostalgia, there’s lots that people will recognise for themselves.”

Her time as Scotland’s national poet is over but life is still hectic. The coming weeks see publication of a collection of poems to celebrate the end of her Makardom, a new CD of songs set to her poems, and the opening of a new play, ‘Thon Man Molière (or Whit got him intae aw that bother...)’, at the Royal Lyceum, telling the story of Liz’s hero, the master of comedy, Molière.

“With so much on at the moment, both Steve and I find this a really fun and easy thing to pick up,” explained Liz. “After touring, I always come back feeling really energised.”

‘Somethings Old, Somethings New’ is on at the Eastgate Theatre, 7.30pm, Friday, April 29 (age 14+). Tickets £14, available now from box office or online.

Two lucky Southern Reporter readers can win a pair of tickets to see ‘Somethings Old, Somethings New’. Just email your answer to the following question to boxoffice@eastgatearts.com by Friday, April 22: Liz Lochhead was Scots Makar for how many years? All correct entries will be entered into a prize draw and the two winners will be notified on Monday, April 25.